Antonio Brown: How Much Money Will Patriots Release Cost Him?

Former New England Patriots wide receiver Antonio Brown is known for many things both on and off [...]

Former New England Patriots wide receiver Antonio Brown is known for many things both on and off the field. This could be catching game-winning passes on the sideline, dropping a staggering number of posts on social media or his catchphrase "Business is Boomin'."

This last phrase, in particular, has often been used as a way for Brown to show that he is raking in money or making plays with regularity. With his current status within the league, he may need to opt for a different saying in the near future.

When the Patriots released Brown on Friday, questions immediately arose about the amount of money invested in the wide receiver for the 2019 season. Unlike the Oakland Raiders, who cut ties with him prior to the regular season, the Patriots actually had Brown on the roster for a game and saw him score a touchdown. His spot on the team seemed sealed and also the matter of the $9 million in guarantees that came with his one-year deal and was set to unlock Monday.

So how much money did Brown actually take home during his 11-day stint in New England? As it turns out, the answer is just north of $158,000.

When the Raiders traded for Brown back in March, they also awarded him with a three-year, $50 million deal that included $30 million in guarantees and a $1 million signing bonus. However, the Raiders didn't actually have to pay Brown a single cent of this deal given that the signing bonus was tied to attendance at workouts and the rest of the guaranteed money was voided for "conduct detrimental to the team." This meant that Brown earned no money from Oakland during his brief stint in the Bay Area.

Similarly, the Patriots technically gave Brown $9 million guaranteed as part of his one-year contract, but this was to be paid out in two installments. The first, which was $5 million, was set to be paid on Monday. According to Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports, the Patriots could void all of the guaranteed money in Brown's contract if he took any action "undermining" the public image of the club. The allegations of sexual assault, as well as the text messages to one of his accusers, appear to meet these criteria.

It's likely that Brown will fight for this guaranteed money, but that decision has not been made. For now, he will simply look for another team with only $158,333 made in 2019 after forfeiting roughly $39 million. When paired with both Nike and Xenith cutting ties with Brown over the past week, he has lost a considerable amount of money since the season began.

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